When I was a child, I was surrounded by music - my father's constant singing under his breath, my siblings various bands and jam sessions with friends. But my favorite was listening to sister Jessica and Grandma Nell play the piano. I would curl up on the couch and let the music wash over me, or dance madly around my grandma's living room to her bright tunes. It was soothing, comforting, and enlivening all at once.

Moving to NY, I hadn't ever thought about leaving that behind. It wasn't until Heidi's baby grand piano was tuned and she was playing it this morning that it washed over me. And let me repeat: BABY. GRAND. PIANO. What?! Yep. Heidi bought herself an early birthday present of a beautiful baby grand. And guess what. It fits perfectly in the Studio (which she has fantastically named White Pelican Studio). It sits regally in the quirky, air-shaft windowed corner, like it was made for our home. It doesn't crowd the room, something about which we were both slightly concerned.

Look at this beauty!

Curled up on the couch, listening to Heidi play this morning, I mused on childhood memories and why I find live piano music so soothing. I think it has to do with the deep vibrations. I've always been a rather high-strung, anxious person, but sitting and listening to a piano play, or petting a purring cat, the notes and rhythms thrum in my chest and help calm and relax me. Always one to be working, I have a hard time sitting down and doing nothing. But when I listen to someone play, I don't feel like I'm wasting my life away by not running around doing stuff. It's a beautiful thing.

I encourage you to take time to sit down with a cup of tea, relax, and listen to the music.

When I knew I'd be moving, it was very bittersweet. While I was ready for a new living space, I was sad I wouldn't be living above Hibernia and right in the middle of the city, within walking distance of work, theatres, and rehearsals. I'd be spending a significant amount of time of each precious day simply commuting.

You know what? I don't mind any of that! I enjoy the commute home each night, because it feels like I really am going Home. It's funny to feel the difference between my neighborhood and heading to work in the middle of Times Square - smelly, sticky, hot, and full of obnoxious tourists. I was stressed last night and just wanted to sit in my backyard and have a few drinks, and that's exactly what I did! It's healthy for me to be surrounded by greenery and living, thriving plants.

We are slowly but surely settling in. Heidi has painted the livingroom and kitchen. I've (finally) figured out what I want to do with the bathroom, so that will be next. I still need to decide a paint color for my bedroom, and after it's painted I can put up my artwork and figure out what I'm going to do for "closet" space.

Heidi hard at work!

Her new favorite perch :)

Beautiful and yellow!

I love it!

A nice, sandy color. I came home vacation to be greeted by a lovely, freshly painted living room.

Strider loves the new couch as much as I do!

I took a contemporary dance class for the first time the other day, and it was terrific! I really loved how organic it was and how you crafted a story based on the movement - in Theatre dance, oft times the dance is created around the song's story. This was new and exciting for me, and I look forward to taking more contemporary classes in the future.

I also am going to be face painting at FAO Schwartz! I'm very excited to be painting again, and I've wanted to paint for FAO for a while.